Agenda - 10-19-2004-7c - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orange County Library Long-Range Facility Planning a3 ,feet worr[d be needed Orange Corurty sleould corrtinrre to investigate co-location of the branch irr the new Efland-Cheeks Middle School iu the short term if preblic library user service needs and space requirements can be nret with drat arrangement. Cheeks Township is expected to experience considerable growth over the next 20 years, particulazly along I-85 in the areas of Efland and Mebane. The area is home to commuters who work as far away as Greensboro in one direction and the Research Triangle Park in the other. The County has targeted this area for economic and industrial development. With the opening of new companies, residential population may exceed projections.. The 2001 Library Task Force identified the area as a site for a library branch. 50% of the population of the Township had Orange Comity Library cards at that time and there was considerable vocal support for a local branch. The Task Force then recommended that services be provided in alibrary co-located with the Efland Cheeks Elementazy School, This facility turned out not to be conducive to a co-located azrangement A new Efland Cheeks Middle School is now planned for the area with the possibility that a,joint use facility be considered during the design phase. This could provide an opportunity to address the service needs of the township sooner rather than later; however, as with the Carrboro situation, it may provide only an interim solution depending on the planning criteria used., Lessons leazned from the co-location experience at McDougle Middle School should be applied so that public access is not limited. The computer system should ensure that public library patrons are part of the larger public libray system and have easy access to all resources in the system. As with the other facilities described above, the consultant developed a set of basic requirements for this branch using a proposed design population based on 2025 projections and potential functions to be accommodated in the facility. Appendix A itemizes these requirements and functions.. Appendix G calculates the proposed size of the facility based on the set of requirements and functions. o That the population growtk in flee Cedar Grove Towrrskip be monitored and plans be considered to expand the library facility in the Orange County Services Center ns indicated The Cedar Grove Library opened in 2004 in a facility housing other Orange County services. It serves a very rural area of the northern county.. The facility is adequate to address current demand; however, the population over a 20-year period is projected to grow to a level that could warrazit service expansion during this period, o T/tat rural conunnnity nodes be evaluated, for the establisluuent of cybraries to provide access to urore distant library resoarces; or, alternatively, reestablish bookmobile service with Lrterrret access to county areas not served by an accessible library facility. The 1998 Cruidelirees for North Carolina Public Libraries recommend that 90% of the service population be no more than a 15-minute drive from a library and that those wha lack regular transportation to a libray be served by a bookmobile or other outreach service, The 18